Lapof



March 24, 1964 R. LAPOF v 6,

FOLDING PARTITIONS AND SEAL THEREFOR I Original Filed Feb. 5, 1960' 6Sheets-Sheet 1 March 24, 1964 R. LAPOF FOLDING PARTITIONS AND SEALTHEREFOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Feb. 5, 1960 INVENTOR Ra Lapof'Y fiATTORNEY R. LAPOF FOLDING PARTITIONS AND SEAL. THEREFOR March 24.1964 Original Filed Feb. 5, 1960 INVENTOR Ra .Lapof BY jg ATTORNEY 6Sheets-Sheet 4 R. LAPoF FOLDING PARTITIONS AND SEAL THEREFOR March 24,1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Qriginal Filed Feb. 5, 1960 I NVENTOR Iapof wd amy BY %ATTORNEY Mrch 24, 1964 LAPOF 3,126,050

FOLDING PARTITIONS AND SEAL THEREFOR Original Filed Feb. 5, 1960 6Sheets-Sheet 6 1 //e v we INVENTOR Ra Lap of BY ATTORNEY United StatesPatent anaosa FOLDING PARTI'IIUNS ANE SEAL THEREFGR Ray Lapof, LakeSuccess, N.Y., assignor to Torjesen, Into, New York, N .Y., acorporation of New York Continuation of abandoned application Ser. No.6,963,

Feb. 5, 1960. This application .luly I6, 1962, Ser No.

2 Claims. (Ul- 160-49) This invention relates to folding partitions andmore particularly to folding partitions having floor seals combinedtherewith, and still more particularly to floor seals for foldingpartitions.

Known to me are the efforts heretofore made in the installation offolding partitions for subdividing gymnasiums, auditoriums, banquethalls, and other large rooms by massive sound-proof and heat insulatingfolding partitions, which are slidingly suspended from a guide track,particularly those which have long and extensive expanse, which aresupported from roof supporting beams and are powerized foroperation byreason of their great weight and numerous door panel units. Because ofthe extensiveness of these beam lengths and of the floor, each issubject to level variance of large magnitude occasioned by many factorsthat are not always attributable to poor craftsmanship, but includedisplacement changes and deflection due to changing load and otherfactors in the supporting structure, as well as the multi-panelpartition elements. These variations have brought into play manyinefiectual and expensive attempts to compensate for the disalignment ormisalignment of the meeting edges of partition and floor by bodilyrelease after lifting the great weight of the partition, and/ orproviding floor seals which have been projected at the floor edge of thepanels when extended against the floor and are articulated by each otherinto floor sealing engagement.

I have found that prior seals which coordinate the operation of thefloor seals for the door panels with each other by reason of themechanical and interdependent coupling of the panels with each other, donot have sufficient tolerance to cope with the wide variancesencountered in the installation, constructional maintenance andoperating conditions during use to supply to the folding doors thedesired rigidity of position, sound-proofness, freedom from lightchinks, and insulation value which may be expected if all conditionswere predictably attainable.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide in combinationwith a folding partition assembly having a plurality of folding doors orpanels, edge seals, particularly floor engaging edges having a wide gaptolerance factor, in which covering capacity along the length of theextended partition in each panel or door element is independentlyeffective and markedly flexible, to be uninfluenced by the integratednature of the panels to each other and the variations from perfectcondition occurring in the supporting structure or floor workmanship,where by simple sliding partition supports are inexpensively installed,with a high order of partition rigidity against lateral displacement,sound-proofness and light-proofness, as well as insulation value whenthe partitions are extended over the floor.

I have found, and it is an object of my invention to provide incombination with folding partitions, a floor seal assembly which iscapable of independently and flexibly actuating each of the seals in thevarious panel units in relation to each other to meet large and unequalvariations in gaps, by pneumatically positioning and maintaining thefloor seals in sliding engagement from a retracted position to aprojected intimate contact with the floor, so that level difference andinequality in the floor level is overcome, to serve the intendedfunction of the seal in 3,l2h,5 Patented Mar. 24, I964 locating thepartitions from a stacked condition, where the seals are retracted tomaximum clearance, to a projected position to span such clearance aswell as variations caused by changes insupporting conditions for thespan of partitions and inequality in floor levels along the length ofthe span, out-of-plumb adjustment or displacement of the suspension ofthe door or tracks or supporting trolleys, and by reason of a great manyother causes known to the workers in the field.

It is a further object of my invention to provide folding partitioninstallations in which floor sealing is elfected automatically inaccordance with varying conditions encountered in construction, as wellas during operating conditions, by pneumaticflly actuated pressures,maintained flexible in accordance with a predeterminedly desired sealingpressure for preventing displacement, accommodation to floor levels, andinsulation against sound and light, all of which is achieved simply andeconomically.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in a foldingpartition novel pneumatically actuated seals which are easy to installand economical to maintain, and which are capable of meeting a widevariety of operating and existing conditions with flexibility, toaccommodate seal-to-fioor irregularities of high magnitude heretoforenot deemed possible, as Well as the structural deflection normallyencountered in such extensive installations.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein orbe hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view diagrammatically to illustrate aninstallation in accordance with my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective exploded view of details of theparts entering into the seal to be installed in a door or panel;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation, partly in section, ofthe bottom of a door or panel in which a seal in accordance with myinvention is assembled;

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary section, taken on the line4-4 of FIGURE 3, in retracted position of the seal;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of a fragment of the seal in projectedposition;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom corner edge view of adjacent doors in the extendedcondition of the partition in the direction of the lines 6-6 of FIGURE1;

FIGURE 7 is a View similar to FIGURE 6, with the partition folded to anintermediate position;

FIGURE 8 is a View similar to FIGURE 6, with the partition folded to thefully stacked position;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective View of a detail of a trailingpanel which is also floor guided in a segmental track;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of folding doorswith a feed line for the floor seals on top of the door;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary perspective View of a de tail of theembodiment shown in FIGURE 10, at door joint;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a still furtherembodiment, some parts being broken away to show details;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of a still furtherembodiment of a hinge connection of hose;

FIGURE 14- is a fragmentary section of a still further embodiment of aconnection for the hose at the hinges, in extended position ofcontiguous panels; and

FIGURE 15 is a detail of the embodiment of FIGURE 14 in intermediatestacking position.

I now make reference to the drawings wherein my invention aims toovercome problems heretofore encountered in folding partitions,particularly those installed in schoolrooms, gymnasiums, churches,auditoriums and restaurants, where large spaces are subdivided onoccasion into separate rooms or spaces, to accommodate smaller groups,employing folding partitions which are normally stacked with clearancegaps from the bottom of the partition to the floor and suspended from,or attached to, tracks on the ceiling or roof without any floor trackguides to interrupt the continuity of the smooth floor surface. Suchmultiple units are very frequently so massive that they function aswalls or dividers encompassing several gymnasiums, or several lecturerooms. Such room dividers are required to be resistant to displacementfrom their hangers, and soundand light-proof so that activity in onespace does not interfere with the other. In large expanses clearancesbetween 1" to 6" are desired because floor levels may vary over theportions traversed by the partition from the stacked position to theextended position. Roof beams, which support the tracks for thepartitions, may also be deflected by snow loads and vibration, to causea large variance in alignment to be covered by the vertical span of thedoor. Seals comprising telescopically extensible pads have beenemployed, as well as mechanically powerized expedients, bodily andvertically to shift partitions to attempt to meet the problem ofovercoming large irregularities in alignment, over floor levels anddeflection from an optimum condition. These expedients are not onlyineffectual because of the integration of the partition elements andseals to each other, but they are limited in their ability to cope withthe wide clearances which are required to be met. They are expensivebecause of the mechanical linkage which must be coordinated and becauseof the intercommunicating effect of distortion of one portion onanother, so that there is not suthcient flexibility to meet the manyconditions of irregularity which may arise to modify the seal contact tothe floor. Also they fail to supply the requisite rigidity againstlateral swing between door and floor, sound-proofness, insulation, andlightproofness, all because of the interdependence of linkage foroperating or releasing the sealing action with the mechanical functionof the coupled partitions, whose inflexible aspect places a greatlimitation upon the movement which the seals may take and because of thelack of accommodation which the prior art seals may have toirregularities resulting from errors in craftsmanship, design, orunpredictable incidents of temperature and load changes.

I have found that independence of actuation of the seals in the relationof one door to another, and particularly large displacement andflexibility, as well as requisite pressure to meet the optimum sealingrequirements, may be effected by pneumatic displacement of theself-aligning, independently operable, telescopically guided seal inaccordance with the extent of space that the seal has to bridge betweenthe door edge and floor, increases the efiiciency of the partition insound-proofness, rigidity of contact with the floor, andlight-proofness, and the ability to compensate for variations inconstruction and conditions which are large departures from optimumfitting of the partition elements and the floor.

Making reference to the drawings, I exemplify the same in connectionwith a partition 14) which comprises panel or door units, 11, 12, 13,14, 15, being shown, it being understood that as many more units may beinterposed between the leading door Il and the trailing door 15 as thewidth of the space to be divided demands.

The partition illustrated has the doors center hung from the beam oftrack 15 by pivotal hangers or door suspension pins 17, guided onrollers for stacking and extension in a well known manner which will bedescribed only briefly for the understanding of the invention. For veryextensive and heavy partitions, the assembly from which the partition ofdoors is hung is united 4 to a roof beam, with the tracks for the usualroller guided hangers or extension pins 17 arranged for powerized chainor cable drive, such as the chains 18 having a motor drive 19.

Each of the doors of the series 11 to 15 is hingedly connected toanother at the contiguous vertical edges E by oppositely handed hinges20, for each alternate coupie, except for the leading edge of theleading door 11, which is free, as is also the trailing edge of thetrailing door 15. For a series in which a half door is used in thetrailing position, the trailing edge may likewise be hinged to thepartition frame in a manner well understood in this field. For each ofthe contiguous vertical edges E, mated interlocking light-proof ribs 20aand grooves 29b are provided.

The trailing door 15, for a center hung folding partition series, haswell known operating and folding linkage coupled at the upper edge, anda center guide pin 21 slidably engaging a short track 22 (see FIGURE 9)on the floor running approximately one-half of the trailing door widthin the direction of extension of the partition.

The floor edges 23 to 26 are each furnished with floor seals S.Optionally, door 15 may have the seal omitted or provided with a singleunitary seal for a vertically hinged type trailing door. In the case ofa center hung or suspended trailing full door 15, as illustrated, inwhich the trailing door at its bottom edge 27 has a guide pin 21 in ashort track 22, the seal may be omitted, or two seals located, one toeach side of the guide pin 21. The omission of a seal for the trailingdoor is well understood, as

7 frequently this portion of the installation is projected from anenclosure for retaining the partition in the stacked condition.

The structure of the seals S in each of the doors supplied with the samemay be understood by reference to FIGURES 2 to 8.

The second from the leading panel 12 is taken as an example, all otherpanels being similar, and it will be observed that at its bottom edge 24there is provided a deep rail filler block 28 between one or bothremovable spacers 29. The latter may be removable metal reinforcedplates carrying the face plies 30, and the two define between them adeep channel 31 across the full width of each door along the bottom edgeto receive the seal S, the assembly of which is shown in detail inFIGURE 2.

The main body of the seal consists of a slide block 32 to which, at itscentral portion, there is fixedly supported an oblong casing 33, twoupstanding side walls 34, and two upstanding end walls 35, extendingfrom the bottom wall 36 which is affixed to slide block 32 at its uppersurface and from which projects an open mouth 37 to provide a deep guidespace into which a pneumatically expansible cylinder 38 may be extended.I find it expedient to employ heavy rubber tubing, such as inner tubesof automobile tires, a section of which is sealed at opposite ends 39,48) with filler tubes 41, 42 introduced adjacent the ends for ingressand exit of air, it being understood that for a terminal door such asleading door 11 only one filler tube need be supplied, or one such tubemay be closed by we known closure means.

The size and dimensions of the cylinder or expansion chamber 38 relativeto the casing 33 and its walls 34, 35, are preferably chosen to fitsnugly within the casing to limit expansion upon introduction of air inthe direction of the mouth 37. A cylinder so provided is disposed in thecasing with the ends 39 and 4d folded to contact the bottom 36 and toproject the tubes or nozzles 41 and 42 through the end walls 35 throughapertures 43. Either or both of the projecting tubes 4-1 or 42 are thencoupled to tubular line sections 44, 45 by clamps 46, 47. The-tubingemployed is preferably heavy walled unexpansible hose capable ofretaining high air pressures without yielding, but may be resilient tolarge mechanical pressure, as will appear as this description proceeds.The tubing sections 44, 45 are attached to the upper face of the block32 by U-guides 48 and then directed through apertures 49 and 50 leadingto the lower face 51 of the block 32 where the ends 52, 53 are guided inmorticed portions or guide channels 54. Over these extending tubesections, coterminous with the lower face 51, there is then afiixed aresilient pad 55 running substantially for the full length of the block32 except where the channels 54 terminate adjacent the exit ends of theapertures 49 and 56, where the padding is bifurcated with branches 56 tobridge the hinge section 57 of the hose running from one door section tothe contiguous door of the series.

The location of the apertures 49 and 50 in the contiguous door panel isgoverned by an approach as close as possible to the hinge point, withdue allowance for the door thickness to be spanned in the stackedposition and the bending characteristics of the pneumatic hose that isrequired to withstand the pressure so that a bend of 180 is within theelastic limits of flexibility without pinching V the hose, as will beappreciated by those skilled in the art.

With an assembly thus provided, the seal S is completed by inserting theplunger or piston 58 to nest telescopically within the casing 33. Theplunger 58 consists of a block conforming to the cross-section of thecasing 33 to enter the mouth 37 to slide freely, with enough clearanceto allow for some degree of canting and with some degree of constrictionat the neck 59 where a great deal of unevenness in floor level isencountered. The plunger or piston 58 is provided with L-shaped brackets60, one horizontal branch 61 of which being afiixed to block 58 at itsuppermost surface 62, the other branch 63 of which having adjustingslots 64 arranged to be aflixed to the rail 28.

Thereupon a seal assembly S is mounted in each door by sliding the block32 into the channel 31 to nest the plunger 58 in the casing 33, theassembly being spring biased into upward limiting position against theabutments 64 of the vertical stile of the door by springs 65 anchored toeyes 66a and 67a on the rail 28 and block 32, respectively.

Coupling of the series of doors with powerizing means is effected bydirecting the hose section 15a along a vertical edge of the last door tohave a seal. In the illustration, the trailing door 15 is morticed onits edge 66 to hold the vertical section of hose or metal pipe 67 to aflexible section 68 which is looped with the fold 69 adjacent thesupporting pin 17 and a branch supported on the track 16 outwardlysupported in the frame 70 to provide a take-up loop 71 kept yieldablytaut by a counterweight or like expedient.

The terminal portion of the hose 72 leads to the air compressor 73,powerized by the motor 74, which is part of the wiring system incontrolling the motorizing means 19 for actuating the foldingpartitions. A switch 75 controls the starting of the motor 19 to extendthe partitions. The leading door 11 carries a switch actuator 76 in thelimiting or closed position of the partitions, which moves the leadingdoor 11 against the frame 77 to engage the switch 78 with provision forbreaking the circuit for the motor 19, but closing the circuit foractuating the motor 74 for actuating the compressor 73. Such sequentialwiring system is so well known and understood by the skilled electricianas not to require detailing.

It will be understood also that the compressor may be furnished with anautomatic gauge to control and maintain the air pressure feeding the airsystem, or a separate air storage tank may be supplied which ismaintained at predetermined pressures, with suitable electromagneticvalve control means actuated by the electrical system and controlled bythe switch 73 to release the requisite pressure of air from the tank foractuation and maintenance of the pressure in the seals S.

With an installation as provided, it will be now ap parent thatoperation of the folding partitions is accomplished in the followingmanner: Normally, when the folding partitions are stacked, air pressurefrom the compressor 73 (or a storage tank, not shown) is cut off fromthe feed line 67 and preferably released by positively operated releasevalves in the feed line (not shown). The springs 65 lift the blocks 32to the maximum height to urge the casing 33 into nesting engagement withthe plunger 58 until the block 32 abuts the vertical stile at 64. Theupward pressure of the springs scavenges the air in the cylinder orchamber 38 to deflate the cylinder 38 and compress its dimensions toraise the seal from the floor and clear it. The installation ofpartitions with floor clearances of great magnitude is thus possiblewithin a limited space in the gap between the rail 28 and the block 32in the channel 31, and I have found that rise in clearance between thebottom 24 and the floor level P is possible to meet a number ofreasonable irregularities including unlevel floors, and structuraldeflection occasioned by changes in load factors, or both, heretoforedeemed unattainable. The depth of the block 32 in overlapping relationto the sides defined by the doors at the wall portions defined by thespacers Z9 and plies 30 is the only limitation as to relative expansionof the telescopic portions of the seal, in which event overlap of thecasing 33 and the plunger 58 is made with corresponding expan sioncapacity of the chamber 38 as will now appear.

When extension of the partition 10 has been fully effected by mechanismwell known in the art, by powerizing the motor 15, contact of the stop76 against the switch '73 will release air from the compression (orstorage tank where used), to enter the feed line 67 and hose to each ofthe seals, to dilate or inflate the chambers 33, to force the plunger 58and casing 33 in an expanded telescopic slidable movement and projectthe block 32 against the floor F to engage the pad 55 with the floor andconform to the same.

The center suspension of the chamber 38, casing 33 and plunger 53 withthe cantable clearance between these relatively slidable members and theyieldability of the pneumatic expedient employed, together with theindependence of coupling of the seal in one door to the seal in acontiguous door, as well as by reason of the flexibility of the hoseextension 57, result in a seal which is self-aligning to the floor. Anyunlevel condition, as shown by the dotted lines Pa and Pb in FIGURE 3,is automatically met to secure an intimate contact of the seal with thefloor. Pressure between the pad 55 and the floor F may be exerted to thepressure retaining capacity of the chamber 38, the case 33, and thetoughness of the walls of the chamber to retain the chosen pressure. Therigidity of the casing and the relatively small clearance between theblock 58 and the casing will increase the capacity for maintaining thepressure in the chamber 3.8. While the weight of the partition doors maylimit the pressure which may be exerted in contacting the pads with thefloor, where double rails are employed for the hangers for actuating thedoors, to prevent upward displacement of the partitions from the tracksguiding the same, greater pressures may be effected. Pressures may betherefore maintained to the end that not only is a floor seal securedwhich results in lighand sound-proofness to a substantial degree, butalso floor engagement which rigidly holds the partition against lateraldisplacement relative to the floor, making it possible to use thepartitions as a relatively rigid wall in an auditorium, for example,where it may be used to provide a subdivision of smaller gymnasiums andwhere a high order of resistance to lateral displacement is required.

During protracted periods of use of the partition in the extendedposition, air pressure may be maintained at predetermined degrees bygauges, as will be well understood.

The use of pneumatic pressure is highly desirable because it supplies ahighly flexible medium, and any leakage which may occur leaves noundesirable effect.

When it is desired to stack the partition, no difficulty is experiencedat the hinge juncture between doors and the difference in lengths of thehose at hinge portions air pressure expands these chambers.

which must be traversed, since the straight hinge section .57 of thehose where it overlaps the corner of one door to the other, rides orspans the elbow as progressively shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 3, firstriding over the narrow resilient pad sections 56, as shown in FIGURE 7,to intersect the corner in a straight line, and then forming a hiddenfat loop, as shown in FIGURE 8, it being understood the hose may havesufficient body not to sag when in a loop as shown in FIGURE 8.

While I have shown and described accommodation for hinging of the floorseals by the intercommunicating hose feed between panels adjacent thefloor, I have also shown in FIGURES 10 and 11 another embodiment of myinvention wherein the hose hinge sections are confined to the portionadjacent the ceiling or suspension portions of the folding doors. Inthis embodiment, the folding partition assembly Ilia, consisting, forillustration purposes, of door panels lie to 152, has each panel 11e to14:: provided with a floor seal S (excluding, as customary in the trade,the trailing panel). The construction of the floor seal S may beidentical with that shown in FIGURES 1 to 9, or as will be described inconnection with FIGURE 12. However, only one filler tube 41a isconnected to each expansion cylinder 38. The other is closed off orsealed to secure parallel feed to the seals as distinguished from seriesfeed of the former embodiment. The feed tube sections St are eachupwardly directed in a vertically extended morticed channel 81 formed inthe trailing edge 82 of each door panel and then extended into anelbowed section 8-3 to the T-coupling 84, which is supported in theclearance section 85. Each T-coupling 84 has its opposite branchconnected to a feed line 86, the leading one being coupled to the risingsection feed tube 80 in the leading door panel and the trailing one, 87,which should be flexible hose, being connected to the air compressorline as in the first embodiment. Between each door or panel where thereis a branch of the T-coupling, there is a snaked section having a fatlooped portion in the extended condition of the partition, which lengthof loop serves to allow for the difference in length required to form anelbow when the doors are stacked, as described in connection with thefirst embodiment. In other respects the operation of the partition andthe fioor seals is in accordance with the prior preferred embodiment.

While I have shown and described each of the floor seals actuatable byan expansion cylinder of tubular outline which may have limitedexpansion capacity though of great equalizing value, to meet shortlength floor irregularities, I may increase the magnitude of expansionto achieve the previously unattainable fioor clearance of almost 6" bythe embodiment shown in FIGURE 12. In this embodiment the slide blocks32:: are guided in the lower door edge of each panel as in the firstembodiment and biased by springs 65a to draw the seals 8 from the floorin the normally stacked position of the door panels. In this embodimentthe blocks 32a are provided with spaced tubular casings 33a and held tothe block by ears 33a fastened to the top of the block. A telescopictube section 33b is coupled to the filler block 28a in similar invertedposition. Within the casing provided by the telescoping tube sections33:: and 33b, there is enclosed an expansion chamber 38a consisting ofaccordion pleated tubes of rubber or like molded, thin walled tubing, tobe capable of returning to its shape and with expansibility limited onlyby the casing walls 33a and 33b, telescopically to provide a greatlengthwise expansibility as Gne end, 38c, is a pressure block, the otherend, 33d, is provided with a fitting having entrance and exit tubes 41aand 42a to which feed hose 44a and exit tube 45a may be connected, tointerconnect a series of expansion chambers of contiguous seals S ineach contiguous door panel. The operation of the seals with therectilinear expansion chambers may otherwise be the same as in theembodiment provided with described in FIGURES 1 to 9, but by having moreor a multiple of pneumatically actuatable rectilinearly projectedchambers, a greater linear floor clearance gap may be spanned with ahigh degree of mechanical force, to secure rigidity of floor contact ofgreat magnitude and floor conforming quality for great irregularity, aswell as changes in overall beam spanning distances caused by varyingroof loads.

While I have shown and described means to interconnect the independentdoor seals to each other by hose elbows exposed at the upper or lowerdoor edges where a loop may be exposed in stacked condition of thepartition, I may minimize the exposure of a looped section by theconstruction shown in FIGURE 13. In this form, each seal expansionchamber, as in any of the prior embodiments, has the feed tubeinterconnecting the contiguous seals by hose sections 440! and 45a! inthe form of a helically coiled hose section which is encased in asheathing of springy material to maintain the coil resilient andcontracted. A spiral coil, resiliently biased by a spring casing tonormally contract the coiled hose, may also be employed. The extension57a of the hose may bridge from one side wall aperture 49a, 59a, to anend wall aperture formed in the vertical edges 6% of the panels atadjacent edges which are hinged to each other, to keep theinterconnecting sections of the hose running in series taut and notdangling in both extended or stacked condition of the partition.

In FIGURE 14 I have shown still another embodiment of inter-panelcoupling of the air hose. In this form, adjacent dor panels, forexample, 11s and 12e, are hinged to each other and are each providedwith floor seals S as in FIGURES 2 or 12. However, the interconnectingexit hose 44a of one panel and the intake hose 45a of the hose on theadjacent panel terminate in a female fitting 44 and male fitting 45 inthe contiguous vertical meeting edges of the door panels 12c and 112,respectively. The effect will be to couple the cup of the female fittingover the conical extension of the male fitting. The female cup seatbeing made of resilient material, such as selfsealing rubber, willengage the conical rigid wall of the male fitting to make an air sealfor the hose when the panels are extended and air pressure is fed to theair chambers of the seals to transmit air from one seal to another.Likewise, when the panels are stacked, the release of air can beeiiected completely wtih the initial break in the panels from theextended to the stacked position, to leave the seals under the tractionof the normally contracting springs.

In general in the embodiments of a combination of the telescopic casings33 and block 58 for chamber 38 therein and the telescopic casings 33aand 33b for the accordion pleated chamber 38a therein, it is intended toi provide unlimited expansible, rigid means for the relatively thinwalled air sealable chambers. This thereby provides an arrangementwhereby a great mechanical force may be transmitted to the movablesections of the telescopic casings. The effect is to transmit greatpressure to secure the mechanical values of the great air pressure,limited only by the ability of the telescopic casings to withstand theair pressure and the air chambers to seal this pressure when soconfined. Thus by this combination there is supplied a floor seal forthe panels which may be articulated into floor engagement to meet largevariations and irregularities in the existing conditions and inoperating conditions which the extensive partition assembly mayencounter.

Important advantages in the combination hereof resuit from the use ofthe novel expansion member for actuating the floor seals as opposed, forinstance, to a conventional pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder and pistonarrangement.

These advantages flow from the large seal deflecting force which may bedeveloped by the use of such expansion members even when the same areoperated under 9 low air pressures. This is true because of the largepiston area available through the use of the expansion members,particularly the embodiments of FIGURES l to 9.

Thus, for instance, to develop a seal deflecting force of about 60pounds through the use of a conventional 1" piston and cylinder (whichis the maximum piston size usable, for instance, in a 3" thick doorpanel), a pressure of about 107 p.s.i. is required in the system. Thisfigure is derived by dividing the desired force (60 pounds) by the areaof the piston (about square inch) times the efficiency factor for airpowered devices (about 75%). Even if two conventional air cylinders wereemployed, the system would require the use of pressures exceeding 53p.s.i.

In contradistinction to conventional cylinder and piston devices, theexpansion member hereof permits a 60 pound force to be developed throughthe use of far lower pressures than even a pair of conventional pistonassemblies. Thus, an expansion chamber 6 inches in length by one inch inwidth provides 6 square inches of area as compared to the square inch ofa conventional 1 inch piston. Hence, a pressure of only about 13 p.s.i.is required for a 60 pound seal deflection.

The ability to operate at lower pressures minimizes maintenance problemssince it is well known that it is necessary periodically to bleedcondensed moisture from the low point of high pressure systems. Lowpressure devices seldom, if ever, require bleeding.

Further, the initial cost of a 60 p.s.i. system and of conventionalcylinder and piston assemblies obviously far exceeds the cost of the lowpressure system and bladder and telescopic guide type expansion memberof applicants device. Thus, the novel device herein described is lessexpensive to produce, easier to maintain and more eflicient to operate,since there is less air leakage at lower pressures.

This application is a continuation of application Serial No. 6,963,filed Feb. 5, 1960, now abandoned, entitled Folding Partitions and SealTherefor.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what isclaimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

I. A folding partition assembly comprising a plurality of hingedlyconnected door panels slidably mounted on a fixed overhead support, withthe lower edges of said panels disposed above the floor level, saidpanels being slidable along said support from a stacked condition to anextended condition, the combination having vertically extended recessportions in the panels :open at the lower edges of said panels,vertically movable floor seals carried within said recess portions ofthe panels, spring means urging said seals upwardly to a normal positionclear of said floor and a pneumatically actuated expansion memberinterposed between said panels and said seals,

said expansion member including an open ended canister disposed betweenthe side edges of the panel, the lengthwise dimension of said canisterbeing substantially less than the length of said panel, the width ofsaid canister being less than the thickness of said panel, a plungermember of cross section corresponding substantially to the cross sectionof said canister loosely telescoped within said canister, the ends ofsaid plunger being spaced from the adjacent sides of said canister topermit a considerable relative tilting of said plunger and said canisterin the plane of said panel, and a pliable, air-tight, deformable bladderdisposed between said plunger and said canister adapted, upon inflation,to shift said plunger outwardly of said canister, the combinationincluding means for inflating said bladders.

2. A folding partition assembly comprising a plurality of hingedlyconnected door panels slidably mounted on a fixed overhead support, withthe lower edges of said panels disposed above the floor level, saidpanels being slidable along said support from a stacked condition to anextended condition, the combination having vertically extended recessportions in the panels open at the lower edges of said panels,vertically movable floor seals carried within said recess portions ofthe panels, spring means urging said seals upwardly to a normal positionclear of said floor and a pneumatically actuated expansion meansinterposed between said panels and said seals, said expansion meansincluding a pair of open-ended canisters disposed between the side edgesof the panel, the canisters forming said pairs each being spaced onopposite sides of the longitudinal center line of said panels, thelengthwise dimension of said canisters being substantially less than thelength of said panel and the width of said canisters being less than thethickness of said panel, plunger members of cross section correspondingsubstantially to the cross sections of said canisters telescoped withinsaid canisters, pliable, deformable, air-tight bladders disposed betweensaid plungers and canisters adapted, upon inflation, to shift saidplungers outwardly of said canisters, the combination including meansfor inflating said bladders, said seals being variably tiltable in theplane of said panels in response to a variable positioning of theplungers and canisters of each pair.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS583,375 Hood May 25, 1897 607,826 Burger et al July 26, 1898 1,806,859Mattei May 26, 1931 2,469,131 Ross May 3, 1949 2,859,987 Emley Nov. 11,1958 2,929,445 Haws Mar. 22, 1960

1. A FOLDING PARTITION ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF HINGEDLYCONNECTED DOOR PANELS SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON A FIXED OVERHEAD SUPPORT, WITHTHE LOWER EDGES OF SAID PANELS DISPOSED ABOVE THE FLOOR LEVEL, SAIDPANELS BEING SLIDABLE ALONG SAID SUPPORT FROM A STACKED CONDITION, TO ANEXTENDED CONDITION, THE COMBINATION HAVING VERTICALLY EXTENDED RECESSPORTIONS IN THE PANELS OPEN AT THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID PANELS,VERTICALLY MOVABLE FLOOR SEALS CARRIED WITHIN SAID RECESS PORTIONS OFTHE PANELS, SPRING MEANS URGING SAID SEALS UPWARDLY TO A NORMAL POSITIONCLEAR OF SAID FLOOR AND A PNEUMATICALLY ACTUATED EXPANSION MEMBERINTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PANELS AND SAID SEALS, SAID EXPANSION MEMBERINCLUDING AN OPEN ENDED CANISTER DISPOSED BETWEEN THE SIDE EDGES OF THEPANEL, THE LENGTHWISE DIMENSION OF SAID CANISTER BEING SUBSTANTIALLYLESS